Building trust and confidence in HIV services 26.06.2019

Key affected populations are becoming more involved with HIV prevention, care and support services being provided through Pyi Gyi Khin Magway Key Population Service Centre (KPSC), supported by the Global Fund. Photo: UNOPS

For a successful response to HIV, sex workers must have access to HIV prevention, treatment and care services, but trust and confidence are indispensable to encourage them to come forward. More and more sex workers are becoming involved with the HIV services supported by the Global Fund in Myanmar.

Pyi Gyi Khin has been implementing HIV prevention and care services with key populations such as sex workers (SW), men who have sex with men (MSM) and people living with HIV (PLHIV), community home-based care and ART provision with the support of the Global Fund since 2011. In collaboration with Magway National AIDS Programme (NAP), the Pyi Gyi Khin Key Populations Service Centre (KPSC) team regularly organizes mobile edutainment activities, which includes entertainment provided by key affected populations.

Edutainment is a mobile educational show that can include songs, dances and other entertainment. Part of its success is that it involves key affected populations themselves in delivering HIV prevention messages and materials to their peers and others.

The edutainment is well received by the Magway community, without any gossip, remarks or discrimination against the participants. The initiative involves the entire community, from those participating, to their parents and guardians who accompany them, to community leaders who serve as advocates to inform the community of the importance of the HIV prevention, care, support and treatment services being provided by the Magway Pyi Gyi Khin KPSC, in collaboration with Magway NAP.

Engagement and acceptance by the community has many positive effects on sex workers and MSM, as they come forward more, become more involved with HIV prevention activities, with increased trust and confidence in the services provided.

When Ma Phyu (not her real name), a 23-year-old sex worker, came to Magway KPSC with bruises, she did not hesitate to tell the full story, because she was confident about the support she would get from the centre. “Two boys came to pick me up. We got into a fight when they refused to pay me afterwards,” Ma Phyu explained. She was given immediate attention and care from centre officer Dr Ko Ko Maung and the KPSC team.

Although Ma Phyu has studied up to matriculation level, she turned to sex work when her family fell into financial hardship. Dr Ko Ko Maung and his team informed her of ways to protect herself and others, provided condoms and much-needed psychosocial support, counselling and information about their services, including voluntary confidential counselling and testing (VCCT) and sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening. They also linked her with other organizations promoting and protecting the rights of sex workers.

Ma Phyu received VCCT and STI screening at the centre. The education sessions have given her the knowledge she needs to be safe. “I have learned about HIV, how I can protect myself and others from HIV and STIs, and how to negotiate safe sex.” Ma Phyu was so pleased with the support she received that she has since referred other sex workers.

Centre officer Dr Ko Ko Maung together with the Pyi Gyi Khin Magway KPSC team and UNOPS-PR.
Centre officer Dr Ko Ko Maung together with the Pyi Gyi Khin Magway KPSC team and UNOPS-PR. Photo: UNOPS

High community engagement and acceptance, on top of increased demand from and involvement of key affected populations, are what drive Dr Ko Ko Maung and his Magway KPSC team to keep up the momentum. “More and more MSM and sex workers in Magway Township are coming out to us, let’s say about 90 per cent, and the remaining 10 per cent will also gradually become involved with our HIV prevention, care and support activities as we move forward.”